HARRISON, N.J.—Chris Wondolowski likely will get another raise in 2013, which seems only fair following a landslide MLS MVP campaign. But he might be hard pressed to match last year’s haul of 27 goals.

No MLS player ever has scored more in a single season. In addition to that historic burden, Wondolowski says his days as a full-time frontrunner could be ending.

“The record I want to try and top is more wins than last year,” he said Monday during a league media event. “Especially with having Lenny and Gordo, especially if they’re healthy, I might be playing outside mid. I might be playing midfield a bit. It’s good to have those guys on the field, and I’m willing to play wherever to have the best 11 out there.”

Lenny (Steven Lenhart) and Gordo (Alan Gordon) combined to score 23 regular-season goals in 2012 and, along with Wondolowski, powered the never-say-die Earthquakes to the Supporters Shield title. The club’s attack was the most prolific MLS had seen in 14 years, but the forward trio hardly ever started the same game together.

That might change in 2013. Wondolowski has played in midfield before and offers a bit of versatility that would complement Lenhart and Gordon up front. Wondolowski, who just turned 30, is more comfortable with the ball at his feet and with quick combination play and can be effective making timely runs from withdrawn positions.

Lenhart and Gordon are grinders. Lenhart is the target man, excellent in the air and good at clearing out space in the penalty area. Gordon is a direct, no-nonsense hybrid with decent touch who is coming into his own at 31.

San Jose coach Frank Yallop suggested recently that Wondolowski is willing to make on-field sacrifices.

“He’s such a team guy,” Yallop said after Wondolowski was presented with his MVP award. “Doesn’t always think about himself, although he looks like he does when he scores the goals and finishes things off. He just wants to win. That’s important to know.

“He’s unselfish. He’ll do anything for his teammates, all the things you want in a player.”

What Wondolowski isn’t willing to give up, however, is money. A late bloomer who scored only seven goals across his first five MLS seasons, he made only $48,000 per year as recently as 2010. Then he stunned American soccer with 19 regular-season and playoff goals.

His salary more than tripled to $175,000 in 2011, when he found the net 16 more times. Last year, he made $300,000. But after another historic season, Wondolowski reportedly wants to be a Designated Player, earning a seven-figure income. MLS had only 12 millionaires on the books last year.

He said Monday that he’s confident he’ll strike a new deal with the Earthquakes soon.

“We are in the process of working something out,” he said. “It hasn’t quite happened but it should be done, if everything goes smoothly, in the next week or two. As long as everything goes to plan, before the season.”

San Jose kicks off its 2013 campaign on March 3 vs. Real Salt Lake.

Wondolowski wasn’t part of the U.S. national team that lost to Honduras in last week’s World Cup qualifier, but he did attend coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s January camp and played the first half of last month’s 0-0 exhibition draw with Canada. Wondolowski didn’t perform badly and didn’t get much help from a relatively listless American midfield, but he also failed to find the net for the ninth time in nine international appearances. He was the only U.S. player to put a shot in target that night in Houston.

“It’s frustrating. You want to get out there and score goals, especially being a forward,” Wondolowski said. “It doesn’t always work out like that. You just have to take it for what it is and try to work hard any way you can.”

He said Klinsmann’s message has been consistent: “Just keep searching to get better. Don’t be content and don’t get complacent.”

That doesn’t necessarily mean a move abroad is in the cards. At his age and with deep roots in his native Northern California, Wondolowski might have hit the big time too late to secure a move abroad.

“I’ve talked to (Klinsmann) about it,” he said. “Just with my current contract situation, I’ll still be two years under contract (in San Jose) and he was very wise—if the team wants you, they’d pay the transfer fee.”

Klinsmann is “very positive about how MLS has really grown as a league,” Wondolowski said, and simply demands that players continue to work to improve. He can do that at home in San Jose, where an expanded role for a championship-hungry team and the pressure that comes along with a big salary would make the spotlight on Wondolowski even brighter this year.